Is the UEFA Nations League a Glorified Friendlies?

[Davidvictorson]

Kevin De Bruyne thinks the UEFA Nations League is 'just glorified friendlies'
Kevin De Bruyne: UEFA Nations League is 'just glorified friendlies'

Kevin De Bruyne has blasted the UEFA Nations League, describing the competition as a 'glorified friendly'.

De Bruyne's Belgium will get their 2022/23 Nations League campaign underway next month against the Netherlands, with three matches scheduled between 3 June and 13 June adding to the already hectic football calendar.

The Manchester City man was in no mood to hype up the coming matches, telling a press conference that he'd rather be resting after a tough season.

"Two weeks is too long. Well, as a player we can't change that much. I'm not exactly looking forward to it," he admitted.

“The Nations League is unimportant in my eyes. Just glorified friendlies after a long and tough season. I am not looking forward to it.

I stumbled on this news some days ago and I thought I should bring it here to get your opinions. I do understand his point. Players need rest after a long season but I do not see any other player complaining(please correct me if I am wrong). So far I have enjoyed watching the UEFA Nations League matches. I believe that it will serve as a sort of litmus-test for the teams and their coaches ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar which begins on 21 November.  By the way Belgium already lost to the Netherlands(1-4).

So do you think the UEFA Nations League is glorified friendlies?

[dothebeats]

Just some filler matches before the big leagues, I guess, and also people want to see these guys play very often so profit-wise, UEFA is very smart in doing this games before the World Cup. He has the right to complain, but he signed a contract as a football player, and what do football players do to get paid right? If he doesn't wanna play on these 'filler' cups, perhaps he should renegotiate his contract to not include these games for his role as a player for these clubs.

[alegotardo]

I agree that he is just a "complaining worker".

We know that the main purpose of this competition is to raise profits and that the players may be looking for a break before the world cup, but I agree that his "service" is to play ball, and that he should be happy for the team he is in, because many would love to be in that same position.
I like to have more important games to watch and bet on, so.. I agree 

[MinoRaiola]

So do you think the UEFA Nations League is glorified friendlies?

I think the games are Not seriously... when i watch Italy against Germany now and see Italy's starting line-up, omg. Roberto Mancini has changed a lot, i'm sure he's still pissed off because of the 3-0 defeat against Argentina. That was embarrassing. Only goalkeeper Donnarumma remains in the starting eleven, there are 10 new players. Italy against Germany is usually a top game ... always ... unfortunately not today.

[Rruchi man]

Players need rest after a long season but I do not see any other player complaining(please correct me if I am wrong).

Maybe other players have not come out openly like KDB to speak their mind, but certainly it will be a concern to many, he is just maybe the most outspoken so far. Some player's actually deserve rest for a bit, it is has been a very demanding season for some of them. You may call it complaining but he has the right to speak up. Some of these players were called up believing that they may not need to play much, but some of them have played full time.

So if KDB see's the competition as glorified friendlies, that's his opinion and he has a right to hold one. I enjoy the games, but truthfully some of these players deserve to rest and spend time with their family.

[MAAManda]

So do you think the UEFA Nations League is glorified friendlies?

Although in fact not, but people can feel how euphoric the UEFA Nations League is, there is nothing special there. We can feel euphoria when the UEFA Cup competition is running, but not for the UEFA Nations League. The good thing about the UEFA Nations League is that national teams can measure the ability of their country's teams on a regular basis.

"I agree with what Kevin de Bruyne said, the UEFA Nations League is a glorified friendly."

[Sterbens]

So do you think the UEFA Nations League is glorified friendlies?

I think the games are Not seriously... when i watch Italy against Germany now and see Italy's starting line-up, omg. Roberto Mancini has changed a lot, i'm sure he's still pissed off because of the 3-0 defeat against Argentina. That was embarrassing. Only goalkeeper Donnarumma remains in the starting eleven, there are 10 new players. Italy against Germany is usually a top game ... always ... unfortunately not today.

You're right, this game is just a warm-up so a lot of what we see isn't serious about putting in an ideal performance before the show officially starts. Indeed, from the start this was only an introductory event, but on the other hand I don't think the players should get injured. This will clearly have a bad impact if it occurs when the official match has not started.

[Joca97]

UEFA nations league is just useless honestly. Dosent have much meaning and while the players should be resting from a big season they are put to playing some stupid matches and just teasing them. Just a stupid move by FIFA to make this tournament

[Zlantann]

Kevin De Bruyne's comments was a born out of frustration. Most players have had a very hectic season and they deserve to rest. I don't know if the games would affect the FIFA ranking of the team but in sports there no unimportant match. Records are very important in football. Belguim's 3-0 loss would ever be remembered and it can serve as a morale boaster to Netherlands. The games might not be serious, but there are no casual records.   

[Slow death]

So do you think the UEFA Nations League is glorified friendlies?

Hungary 1 - 0 England



when you have this shocking result then we can clearly see that this competition is meaningless and that the teams don't take it seriously worse than in this game england was playing with their best players and still they lost, i think the reason they lost is precisely because they do not look at this competition as something serious. I still don't understand why the hell this competition has to exist?

UEFA nations league is just useless honestly. Dosent have much meaning and while the players should be resting from a big season they are put to playing some stupid matches and just teasing them. Just a stupid move by FIFA to make this tournament

to make the situation worse is that players will have to prepare for the teams' next season and for world games, there is already a champions league, there is already a europe league, there is already a conference league and there are local leagues in each country, there are many games for players, they need rest. and today I lost money

[MinoRaiola]

Simply this is the replacement for the friendlies, i say friendlies+ not more. That's more marketing but the fans are not stupid. The new league is Not really positiv for the fans. It feels like 80% are not interested in it. The ratings in Television are not good. The last final France vs Spain had only 3.25 million viewers, normally is 6 times more.

[Uang_kartal]

i appreciate kevin de bruine's struggle and loyalty as a contributor in belgium,
when the 2021 season was still with MU the club had the best goal.
if they need a vacation it is a right for anyone from the service and daily routine of his heart. reassuring from UEFA.
I agree with you, the world cup league is being held this year and this will make a lot of energy, thought and a tighter training schedule.
there is nothing wrong with badi de bruyne to refresh after the match that was passed yesterday. Uefa was quite impressive and I think the Uefa match gave a show of the readiness of the Netherlands.
and the Netherlands has now moved up to Group A. I quite enjoy

[Rabi3]

So do you think the UEFA Nations League is glorified friendlies?

Hungary 1 - 0 England



when you have this shocking result then we can clearly see that this competition is meaningless and that the teams don't take it seriously worse than in this game england was playing with their best players and still they lost, i think the reason they lost is precisely because they do not look at this competition as something serious. I still don't understand why the hell this competition has to exist?

it is so bad for gamblers, I lost betting on France against Denmark even after they were leading and they still lost, it is hard to predict the outcome of such games where a team is clearly better than the other but because it's a less serious competition they don't play it seriously, Mbappe got substituted right away even though they weren't even winning, I'll stay away from betting on it now and I'll see where it's going.

[Spack17]

I think it is normal for football players playing in teams such as Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid to complain like this. Because they play many tough matches during the season. Immediately after the season ends, the National Leaguer matches start and take place in the mood of a friendly match. If I were a star football player, i would prefer to take a vacation instead of playing in this tournament.

[D-law]

I think it is normal for football players playing in teams such as Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid to complain like this. Because they play many tough matches during the season. Immediately after the season ends, the National Leaguer matches start and take place in the mood of a friendly match. If I were a star football player, i would prefer to take a vacation instead of playing in this tournament.

Very true, and will probably get injured and again fatigue
That alone kill's the high dreams ahead of the new season.
They are playing too many games, the premier league is a tough rough side to be in.

[davis196]

I think that De Bruyne is right and wrong at the same time.
The greedy bureaucrats at UEFA want the national teams to play more matches, because more matches means more money for UEFA.
The whole point of the UEFA Nations League is to give a chance for the weaker teams to win a spot at the European Cup.
The big teams will qualify for the Euro Cup anyway (via the Euro Cup qualifications), so this tournament is a chance for them to try out some young and unexperienced players. I don't understand people like Roberto Martinez, who is using his big stars like De Bruyne in the Naitons League, De Bruyine needs a break after a long season, Martinez could let some young players play.
The Nations League matches are important for the weak national teams, but not important for the big national teams, so De Bruyne is wrong about those games being friendlies.

[Oshosondy]

Kevin De Bruyne thinks the UEFA Nations League is 'just glorified friendlies'
Kevin De Bruyne: UEFA Nations League is 'just glorified friendlies'

So do you think the UEFA Nations League is glorified friendlies?

De Bruyne called UEFA Nations League a glorified friendlies but saying it is not important that he prefer to rest until another season, I think that doe not make any sense, it is not by force to play, the UEFA can be a league some coaches will even see some good players they can prefer them to play for the club they are managing. I do not know much about UEFA Nations League but I think money will also be involved, though the money can be little if compared to club leagues.

[boltz]

When you play in EPL it's kinda normal for some players to tell that. They had a rough season , they coming after a pandemic year where they had a shorter break , then EURO came in last summer and short after , the new season of EPL started so I feel for KDB , he just wants some peace and some quiet time for him and his family most likely. This type of players who had rough season can make an exception but for those who barely played for their club teams , they should come in full force when they enter in that pitch.

[ralle14]

He's not wrong though, the nation's league seems somewhat similar to pre-season matches in other sports. You can't blame him for saying it, after playing at one of the top leagues and then going into this. It might help other players to continue their form and potentially improve heading to the next season but for other players like KDB that's been playing at the highest level, it's better to have a much needed rest instead of burning themselves out from playing and possibly risking an injury.

[swogerino]

From the results so far of this league you can say it loud that this is worse than glorified friendlies.In big friendlies when big teams are playing against each other,the teams attack without thinking much about the result while here we see teams,I mean the big ones like England not caring much,same as France against Denmark and a couple of other upsets.We are still early in the initial stage of this league but we know that saying,"The sun can be looked since early in the morning" meaning even we are in initial stages it looks like this is going to be the case even as we move forward.